New thread a bit later this morning as my body adjusts to the hour that went missin

Thanks for that Roger.

Pff, it's not gone anywhere - but if you folks insist on getting up an hour earlier just 'cos, so be it!

It was just over a fortnight ago that BoJo said, "Many more people will lose loved ones to coronavirus" - and from the posts in the previous thread, you can see how it's going to come about. Although in many cases Covid-19 will be hastening the end, so to speak, I can't imagine how worried people will be to see their relatives at risk - especially the elderly.

I know if my mum and dad were still alive (they'd be 68 and 72 respectively), I would be worrying myself sick about them. And that's part of the problem: stress and worry can weaken your immune system and that's the last thing anyone wants right now.

It'll no doubt be another turbulent day in terms of cases and deaths. At least with any luck the measures of the past week will show up in another week or two, but until then it's a very bumpy ride.

Stay safe all!

Somewhat bemused to read the PM is sending a letter through the post. We won't be opening it for at least 24 hours after it lands. Surely most people these days would sooner get an email?

Presumably only a mater of time before people make a link between COVID-19 and Comet Atlas (If the sky is a dark transparent blue and ATLAS exceeds our expectations, we might snag the elusive trophy of a historical daylight comet. Right now, only time will tell, source: https://astronomy.com/news/observing/2020/03/comet-atlas-may-soon-be-visible-to-the-naked-eye) as messages from a higher power. 

You and I, maybe, but a large subset  of the  lot of older people , who need most reassuring, often don't have an Internet connection - or would know how to use one if they did..

I see the Mail on Sunday is trying to blame Barnier for infecting Boris as “revenge” over Brexit. The newspaper industry is truly vile and I am so glad to be out of it.

One thing iam increasingly worried about is food shopping as this imo is the highest risk of contacting this virus,people are in too close proximity to each other,despite the measures put in place, and what about touching or picking up stuff and putting in your basket/trolley.How many times has that item been recently handled??

I might sound paranoid but I have my 92 year old father at home who has chronic COPD and he cannot afford to get this virus under any circumstances!Iam taking every precausion possible but there is only so much you can do to stay safe and protect the most vunerable.

Iam also suprised that the govt have not suspended the sunday trading laws for the supermarkets and also the supermarkets could be doing more by offering round the clock deliveries 24/7 to free up this log jam.Its impossible to get a home delivery from anywhere.

Carry hand gel with you when shopping , always a good idea. As long as you don't wipe your face before applying the gel you will be fine.

Sainsburys in Banbury allow 5 in at a time ,you queue around the car park, takes 45 minutes to get in but once in you have the run of the place and the shelves are reasonably stocked

As the virus claimed its 1,000th life in the UK — a doubling of the death toll in just three days — Professor Neil Ferguson said in an interview that the entire population could need to stay at home for nearly three months.

The above is interesting , I wonder if the PM takes note , If so I should imagine a 3 week extension would become the norm , June wouldn't be far off the 12 weeks he initially said ?

There’s been a lot of coverage about this shopping issue recently and there are things you can do to minimise the risks:

1. Obviously try to keep at least 2 metres away from people


2. don’t touch surfaces - wear disposable gloves or hold with a piece of kitchen or tissue paper


3. only pick up what you’re buying


4. use hand gel when you get back to the car


5. wash your hands thoroughly when you get home


6. wash tins and packaging thoroughly - or don’t touch them for 3 days once they’re put away


7. rinse any fruit/vegetables you’re eating uncooked 

That’s quite a lot of extra effort but it reduces the risks considerably.

The Government will have a lot more postal addresses for people than it does emails even for people on the net.

Extending to June may halt the virus until the next wave, but what lasting damage to the economy? 

We are heading for a 30s style depression inspite of all the money being thrown around and many more will die from this than the virus 

On the plus side, newspaper sales are collapsing but I doubt the Mail will go out of business.

Like a virus, it will keep coming back

This will amuse you all

Last night some arse vandalised the pub! Painted "PAY YOUR STAFF" on the windows.

But the fool hasn't been watching the news, as Tim Martin has already backed down on this

There is a camera outside, so perhaps we can find out who it was - perhaps one of the bar staff

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52040138

Supermarkets have taken measures to enforce social distancing, so the greatest risk is from hand to mouth transmission and minimising that is down to us personally.  

Before shopping, I wash my hands well, then wash them again the minute I get home.  I also have a bottle of hand gel that I keep in my car and use before touching the steering wheel.  Some stores have provided cleaning materials for wiping trolley and basket handles, which I think they should always do! 

I make sure I don’t pick up or touch anything on the shelf unless I’m going to buy it.  I work on the principle that not everyone will do this, so I make sure I don’t touch my face with my hands while shopping - a niggley itch or tickle is sorted using my arm.  I think it’s all down to common sense measures and being fully conscious of what you’re doing. 

I think this was just part of the area regeneration scheme. 

To avoid having a prolonged lockdown or successive lockdowns is to have a strict one now (we still don't) and when the number of new infections comes down, then to implement a massive test, track and isolate regime like many Asian countries have done in the first place (avoiding the need for a lockdown). If we (and Europe and the US) don't find and isolate the new cases in the general population, then we'll be in lockdown for many months with a massive hit in the economy.

I see that's it's getting even uglier over the pond, American States are competing with each other to buy ventilators (instead of the federal govt procuring them) and their bidding war keeps raising the international prices. Trump said last night that perhaps New York should be quarantined from the rest of the country, only for the New York Governor to answer that this would equate to a declaration of war.

I haven’t seen anywhere that suggests 72hrs for surface kill. 
Cardboard and paper a few hours, hard surface like plastic 48hrs.

There has to be a cap on the precautions otherwise it starts getting a bit crazy - in my opinion of course. I can understand if many people take extra care.

It can live on plastic for 72 hours.

A review of studies of previous coronaviruses have shown them lasting on surfaces for up to 9 days. 

https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext

This has found RNA from the current coronavirus on surfaces in cruise ships 17 days after the ship had been vacated.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e3.htm?s_cid=mm6912e3

When the antibody test is available, we should deploy it to the entire population if possible, using the army to do it.

People who are immune can then be given green passes and should be allowed back to work and travel around freely. Those who are negative, should be advised to remain lockdown until a vaccine is made,

As for the US, Trump is allowed to put his personal signature on the cheques being sent out to every household, so his re-election is in the bag

Biden is confined to you tube to get his message out.

Its a one man show and Trump's numbers are going through the ceiling, just like Bozo's

The election will definitely go ahead now and I predict a Reagan style blowout, with Biden only winning his home state 

I saw photos of the exact same thing on a Wetherspoons several days ago. Copycats?

As for “extension” of the lockdown, I though they were always talking about 12 weeks anyway? Certainly when the vulnerable people were advised to isolate. I’ve been working under the assumption that the current restrictions will be in place for three months or so at a minimum.